Hey everyone, thought I would take a moment to share my preferred cloning method - cell trays with perlite.
It's very simple, requires filling the tray with water about once a week, and I've not lost a single cutting so far using this method. Roots have been typically popping out of the cells in 10-14 days, without rooting hormones. Another week or so and they fill out the cells very nicely.
I use the old school seedling propagation trays with 72 cell "popsicle" inserts. Usually about 2 dollars each.
With perlite in the holes and a bit of water in the tray, I've found the perlite acts as a wick and maintains a proper amount of moisture for cloning. It also maintains an adequate amount of oxygen, as no air stone has been needed in the tray.
I add fresh water to the tray every 5-7 days, super hands-off. Another benefit is that each cutting has its own space to root, making extraction safe and easy.
In addition, it takes very little perlite to fill the holes in the tray, so a 5 dollar bag can easily make hundreds of clones.
Here's a quick breakdown of how I prepare a batch, with pictures for visual people like me:
I use a funnel to fill the cells quickly, then put water in the tray and let the perlite soak some up. Once the perlite is properly hydrated (20 min later,) I poke holes in each cell, then insert the clones and pack the perlite down around the stem. Repeat till full, then off to the clone shelf.
So that's about it.. Nothing revolutionary, but I think by combining elements of old and new methods, I've found something simple and low maintenance that works really well for me and will likely do the same for anyone else who gives it a shot.
It's very simple, requires filling the tray with water about once a week, and I've not lost a single cutting so far using this method. Roots have been typically popping out of the cells in 10-14 days, without rooting hormones. Another week or so and they fill out the cells very nicely.
I use the old school seedling propagation trays with 72 cell "popsicle" inserts. Usually about 2 dollars each.
With perlite in the holes and a bit of water in the tray, I've found the perlite acts as a wick and maintains a proper amount of moisture for cloning. It also maintains an adequate amount of oxygen, as no air stone has been needed in the tray.
I add fresh water to the tray every 5-7 days, super hands-off. Another benefit is that each cutting has its own space to root, making extraction safe and easy.
In addition, it takes very little perlite to fill the holes in the tray, so a 5 dollar bag can easily make hundreds of clones.
Here's a quick breakdown of how I prepare a batch, with pictures for visual people like me:
I use a funnel to fill the cells quickly, then put water in the tray and let the perlite soak some up. Once the perlite is properly hydrated (20 min later,) I poke holes in each cell, then insert the clones and pack the perlite down around the stem. Repeat till full, then off to the clone shelf.
So that's about it.. Nothing revolutionary, but I think by combining elements of old and new methods, I've found something simple and low maintenance that works really well for me and will likely do the same for anyone else who gives it a shot.
